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A series of studies performed in our laboratory have shown that (−)-linalool, the natural occurring enantiomer in essential oils, possesses anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects in different animal models. The antinociceptive effect of (−)-linalool has been ascribed to the stimulation of the cholinergic, opioidergic and dopaminergic systems, to its local anesthetic activity and to the blockade of N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. In this study, we investigated the effect of systemic administration of (−)-linalool in the paw withdrawal test in rats, a model of thermal hyperalgesia induced by monolateral subplantar injection of carrageenan, l-glutamate or prostaglandin E₂. Carrageenan and l-glutamate induced a hyperalgesic effect on the injection side. In contrast, prostaglandin E₂ induced hyperalgesia in both the injection side and the contralateral side. Pretreatment with (−)-linalool (50–150 mg/kg) inhibited the …